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“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures
of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

Communication skills are vital–especially in the information age. Studies
show that effective communicators are happier, do better in school, are more successful,
and make more money than their less-eloquent counterparts. So how do you teach your
children to express themselves better? The FUN way!

The best way to teach children anything is to make it fun and involve as many of
their five senses as possible. Here is a list of 10 games/activities that will foster
effective communication skills in your children.

Play Telephone. The more the merrier. This old elementary school
game is a delightfully fun way to develop your child’s listening skills. This
game is perfect for any age. Begin with a simpler message for the younger children,
and gradually increase the size and complexity as they get older.

Directions to Fun. Have your older child write out directions from
your house to somewhere fun: for example, the ice cream shop. Preferably give the
directions to a third party who is unfamiliar with the area, and have him follow
the directions precisely. Did you get there? If so, have an ice cream cone! If not,
talk about what went wrong in the communication. What could be changed that would
help get you there the next time. This is a wonderful exercise to help children
from 4th through 12th grade learn to give better directions. But it also is a lesson
in itself about communication. In order to effectively communicate what you want,
you must learn to say what you mean so that others can fully understand.

Dress for Success. Go to the store or any other public place dressed
in your Sunday best. Notice how you are treated. Next go to the same store or a
similar location dressed shabbily or inappropriately for the occasion. (Ex: to a
Mercedes dealership in old jeans and a worn out T-shirt) Notice how differently
you are treated. This illustrates that nonverbal communication has consequences.
You will want to point out that strange person walking on the street and do a little
of what I call “brain washing.” Paint them a picture of the consequences
of the communication that is sent when people wear skimpy clothes or dress like
hoodlums. Tell them what their choice of clothes is saying to the average person
. . . to a prospective employer. Give them the facts on how this will impact their
lives a year–two years–ten years down the line. Tell them what could
happen tomorrow if someone draws a conclusion based on those clothes that puts them
in harm’s way.

Talk-n-Listen. Have your child sing Yankee Doodle while another
person recites the Pledge of Allegiance. See how long they can go without flubbing
it up. If your child can do this too easily, have each one read from a different
book. Tell them to each take turns relating what the other had read. This helps
illustrate that old saying that God gave us two ears and one mouth in order that
we listen twice as much as we talk.

Um Contest. Have your child talk about a familiar topic. Any topic.
For example, his/her favorite activity or book. See how long he/she can keep from
uttering “um,” “er,” “uh,” “like,”
or “ya’ know.” This develops the child’s confidence as well
as eloquence. Eliminating these “words” in your child’s vocabulary
will cause him to focus on becoming more articulate and increasing his vocabulary.

Feed Me Applesauce. Blindfold someone and have that person
feed applesauce to another blindfolded person. Have a third person who is not blindfolded
giving the directions to both parties. This teaches students to give directions
more effectively.

*NOTE* This is messy! Fun, but messy! You will want to make sure that your children
are not wearing their good clothes and that this activity takes place on a bare
floor and not carpet.

Presentation. Have your child give a presentation of sorts to a
local retirement home. This can include giving a craft demonstration, playing piano
for them as in a short recital, singing, or reciting a poem. This teaches your child
how to present him/herself. This can be done with children of all ages. The sooner
you get your child comfortable talking in public, the better. It will become like
second nature to him and he may be able to avoid the biggest fear that most people
have: public speaking. Studies show that people who enjoy speaking in public
are more successful than those who do not. So get them out there showing off the
talents God gave them!

What’s Going on in the Picture? This one is great for the
little ones. Have your child tell you what he sees in a picture. Encourage him to
describe the scenery, the people, the colors … anything he sees. For older
children, have them talk about what they think might have just happened before this
scene and what they think will happen after. This gives them practice in formulating
ideas in a logical manner that others can easily understand.

Finish a Story. This one is also very good for different age groups.
Kids love stories! You start off a story and have your child finish it. For very
young children, you can tell them a nursery rhyme and have them make up an alternate
ending or add on to the story. This exercise is great for teaching beginning verbal
communication skills.

Impromptu Speech. This exercise is wonderful for children of all
ages. Pick a topic that your child is familiar with or just loves and ask him/her
to speak for about 2 minutes on that topic. After a while, have your student graduate
to speaking on more difficult topics and/or for longer periods of time. You can
start them off by talking about their favorite movies and eventually graduate them
to controversial topics like prayer in school.

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, they
won’t get you anywhere.” (Lee Iacocca) The more your children
practice communication skills, the more effective they will be in communicating
their needs and ideas. The more fun you can make it, the more they will want to
practice these essential skills.

JoJo Tabares holds a degree in speech communication, but it’s her humorous
approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian
speaker and writer. Her articles appear on Crosswalk.com, Dr. Laura.com, and in homeschool publications, such as
Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine,
which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula. JoJo is the owner of Art
of Eloquence.com, the host of the weekly podcast, Grace Talk Soup, the creator of
Foot in Mouth Man, and the host of the annual Say What You Mean Convention.com.
For more information on JoJo or creative and fun communication curricula, visit
www.ArtofEloquence.com .

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